Ignazio Gardella for Azucena 'Lib 2' Bookcase in Iron, Brass and Mahogany

Ignazio Gardella for Azucena, ‘Lib 2’ bookcase, enameled iron, brass, mahogany veneer, Italy, 1955

The Lib 2 bookcase, designed by Ignazio Gardella, stands as a defining piece within the designer’s oeuvre, embodying his distinct approach to furniture design. Produced by Azucena, the Italian furniture and design brand co-founded by Gardella alongside Luigi Caccia Dominioni and Corrado Corradi Dell’Acqua in 1947, the bookcase exemplifies the brand’s commitment to elegant, functional, and rationalist design.

Gardella’s personal affinity for this piece is evident in its inclusion within multiple interior projects, notably the Coggi Apartment (1956-1962, Milan) and Gardella’s own home (1952-1960, Milan). Its significance was further cemented when it was featured in Domus magazine, issue 337 (December 1957), which documented the XI Triennale di Milano. This edition of the Triennale hosted an “international exhibition of housing”, where seven nations, including France, Yugoslavia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Italy, presented residential prototypes furnished exclusively with recently produced designs. Among the most compelling interiors highlighted in the article was Gardella’s, prominently showcasing the Lib 2 bookcase.

Rooted in Rationalist principles, the design adheres to a philosophy of logic, clarity, and the elimination of superfluous ornamentation. It is structured around a modular and geometric system, featuring three vertically aligned sections composed of black-enameled iron uprights punctuated by evenly spaced perforations. These perforations contribute to the bookcase’s industrial aesthetic while enabling adaptable shelf placement.

The uprights are anchored to the floor with robust, angular brass feet. The horizontal shelves, crafted from mahogany, introduce warmth to the overall composition. Meanwhile, the open-back design preserves a sense of lightness, preventing the piece from overwhelming its surroundings despite its structural solidity.

Additionally, the bookcase’s exposed mechanical connections, visible bolts, and perforated uprights reinforce an architectural sensibility, embodying the Rationalist ethos of functional beauty and structural transparency. These details emphasize Gardella’s commitment to a design language where form follows function, while also highlighting the interplay between precision engineering and refined materiality that characterizes mid-century Italian Rationalist design.



Biography

Ignazio Gardella, a pivotal figure in 20th-century Italian architecture, was born on March 30, 1905, in Milan. He came from a Genoese lineage of engineers and architects, with his father, Arnaldo Gardella, playing a significant role in shaping his early exposure to the discipline. After completing his studies at Liceo Classico Berchet, he pursued civil engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan. Even before obtaining his degree in 1928, he had already begun working in his father’s studio alongside Luigi Martini. However, after his father’s passing that same year, Gardella decided to chart his own path, distancing himself from the early 20th-century stylistic influences that characterized Martini’s work.

During his university years, Gardella formed connections with some of Italy’s most promising young architects, including Franco Albini, Giovanni Romano, Lodovico Belgiojoso, Gian Luigi Banfi, Enrico Peressutti, and Ernesto Nathan Rogers. These friendships fueled his engagement with contemporary architectural discourse. In 1930, he embarked on a formative journey through Germany, visiting Düsseldorf, Munich, Nuremberg, and Frankfurt – experiences that deepened his understanding of modernist design principles.

By the mid-1930s, Gardella had become an active participant in Milan’s rationalist movement, contributing to discussions spearheaded by the influential magazine “Casabella”, under the leadership of Giuseppe Pagano and Edoardo Persico. His involvement extended to major architectural events, such as the 6th Milan Triennale (1936) and urban planning initiatives like Milano Verde (1938) and the Piano A.R. (1943–1945). A 1939 trip to Scandinavia, where he met Alvar Aalto, Gunnar Asplund, and Sven Markelius, with whom he maintained a lasting friendship.

Gardella’s work from the 1930s demonstrated a commitment to rationalist principles, exemplified in the Tuberculosis Dispensary and Prophylaxis Laboratory in Alessandria (1933–1939). During the postwar reconstruction era, he emerged as a leading intellectual and designer, co-founding the Movement for the Study of Architecture (MSA) in 1947. His teaching career at IUAV, spanning from 1949 to 1975, influenced generations of architects, and his involvement with CIAM (International Congresses of Modern Architecture) placed him at the center of global architectural discourse.

The 1950s and 1960s marked the peak of Gardella’s architectural production characterized by rationalist rigor. This includes the Pavilion of Contemporary Art (PAC) in Milan (1947–1954), the House in Zattere in Venice (1953–1959), and the Olivetti Canteen and Auditorium in Ivrea (1953–1959). His work extended into urban planning, notably in the Metanopoli district, and later into significant public projects, including the Lambrate Railway Station in Milan (1983–2001) and the Faculty of Architecture in Genoa (1975–1989).

As his reputation grew, Gardella became one of the most widely published Italian architects of his time. Gardella’s contributions were widely recognized: he received the Olivetti Award for Architecture (1955), the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Architecture Biennale (1996), and the Gold Medal of the President of the Republic for Merit in Science and Culture. His influence extended beyond Italy, with a visiting professorship at Harvard University in 1986, where his monographic exhibition and essay, “The Last Fifty Years of Italian Architecture. Reflected in the eye of an architect”, cemented his intellectual legacy.

In his later years, Gardella remained active in architectural restoration. His work was honored in major exhibitions across Europe, and in 1995, his House in Zattere became the first modern building in Italy to receive official artistic protection – marking the first time that a modern building constructed less than fifty years prior received such recognition. Gardella worked until his final days, passing away on March 15, 1999, in his family home in Oleggio. His legacy continues to inspire architects worldwide.

VAT within the EU: When buying or delivering an item within the EU, VAT usually applies and will be added.